LASKIN/POPLAR OIL CO.

EPA ID# OHD061722211
Last Updated: October, 2014

Site Description

The Laskin/Poplar Oil Company site, which covers nine acres, is located in Ashtabula County, Ohio. The site formerly housed a waste oil storage area and a greenhouse. The owners used waste oil to heat the greenhouse and for road oiling. Some of the waste oil was contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other hazardous constituents. Later, the owner began collecting, reselling and disposing of waste oils. The operation was shut down by Court Order in 1981. Hazardous liquids stored in tanks and ponds had the potential to overflow or otherwise release contaminants into nearby Cemetery Creek, impact a downstream drinking water supply. Approximately ten residences are within 1,000 feet of the site.

Site Responsibility

Early investigations and emergency actions were federally funded. Subsequent actions were conducted by PRPs under federal and state oversight.

Threats and Contaminants

The waste oils, contaminated water, and sludge contained PCBs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenolic compounds and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including benzene, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, tetrachoroethylene, and toluene. The shallow groundwater below the site was contaminated with PAHs, and some VOCs. Sediments in the onsite retention pond were contaminated with PCBs, PAHs, some VOCs, and lead. Onsite soils were contaminated with PCBs, PAHs, lead and pesticides. The boiler house was contaminated with PCBs, PAHs, dioxin, lead and zinc. Before the cleanup, there was risk to trespassers who came into contact with contaminated soils and sediments; and irisk related to site redevelopement.

Cleanup Progress

In 1981 and 1982, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) took several emergency actions, including draining two ponds, diversion of surface water run off to a retention pond, removal and offsite incineration of 302,000 gallons of waste oil, treatment and discharge of 430,000 gallons of contaminated surface water, and solidification of 205,000 gallons of sludge. In 1985 and 1986, under a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO), private parties removed 250,000 gallons of oil and wastewater from the pits and tanks.

From 1983-1989, U.S. EPA conducted a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The RI was an investigation into the nature and extent of the site contamination; the FS was a study of long term cleanup alternatives for the site. In 1987, U.S. EPA selected a source removal remedial action and documented the rationale for that selection in a Record of Decision (ROD). Under Unilateral Administrative Orders, EPA ordered the private parties to develop a design for the source removal work. Groundwater and soils were contaminated by a large number of contaminants, including PAH, PCB, lead, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin. In 1989, U.S. EPA issued a ROD for the final Remedial Actions (RAs) at the site, which primarily included diversion of groundwater from the site and construction of a low-permeability cap over the site.

In 1989, a group of private parties entered into a Consent Decree with U.S. EPA to implement the cleanup actions documented in the 1987 and 1989 RODs. In 1991-1993, the private parties completed the source removal and construction work. The source removal work included onsite incineration of oils, sludge, tanks, drums, boiler house equipment, the boiler house structure and stack, boiler house soils, pit structures, and source soils. In all, 7,500 tons of source material was incinerated. In addition, 164,360 gallons of wastewater was treated and discharged, and 49.5 cubic yards asbestos material from the boiler house were removed; 40 cubic yards of the asbestos material was disposed in an offsite landfill, while 9.5 cubic yards were contained in an onsite vault because of dioxin contamination. The final cleanup action included construction of a groundwater diversion trench and slurry cut-off walls, which have successfully lowered the water table to below the contaminated soil. The soils are further isolated by a low-permeability cap over the site, which has successfully eliminated the direct contact threat and reduced infiltration. Since 1993, private parties have been conducting maintenance and monitoring activities, which has verified that the final cleanup actions have remained effective.

Since 1999 four Five-Year Reviews (FYR) have been conducted at the Site to assess implementation and protectiveness of the remedy. The most recent First FYR was completed May 14, 2014. This review concluded that the site is protective of human health and the environment.

Property Reuse

Astabula County had inquired about potential use of a portion of the Laskin property for parking during the County Fair. However, the PRP Trust has declined to allow the use of Laskin property for parking purposes.